I doubt whether my question is worth asking or being answered every time I’m posting a question, and ask myself, “Doesn’t it look too naive or primitive a
question?”
However, I keep posting questions anyway, encouraged by the old Japanese saying, “Kikuwa ittoki-no haji, Kikanuwa matudai-no haji” meaning, “To ask a question is a shame of a moment. Not to ask the question is a shame (regret) that lasts for your whole (eternal) life.”

Confucius said, "It's not a problem that you don't know. It's the problem that you don't know what you don't know."

By following this maxim, I think I’m able to build knowledge of English expressions.
I’m curious to know whether you have an English counterpart to “To ask a question is a shame of a moment. Not to ask the question is a shame for whole your life”, or any proverb encouraging questions.

Many times in my professional life, I have been the only one in a crowd to ask a question. By the posture and attention of others, it was a question they had but did not ask. Bravo for your tenacious curiosity.
– TheresaSep 3 '18 at 0:11

However, I have also heard a similar proverb with the opposite meaning: It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. It seems to be variously attributed. Proverbs 17:28 is similar: Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
– Nate EldredgeDec 21 '11 at 22:05

2

@Nate: Si tacuisse, philosophus mansisse. If he had kept silent, he would have remained a philosopher. Every proverb has an equally clever and opposite one.
– MitchDec 21 '11 at 22:28

@mitch: that would be tacuisseT and mansisseT. But I heard it as tacuisseS, meaning 'if you had kept silent...'; rather more pointed.
– TimLymingtonOct 3 '12 at 13:15

I don't think we have an exact equivalent to that expression--at least not one that I can think of at the moment. We do, however, have a saying that focuses on the teacher's role in such an exchange:

If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.

This means that if you simply give someone exactly what they're looking for, you will have solved their immediate problem but won't help them solve similar problems next time. On the other hand, if you show them how to find such things for themselves, they'll be able to continue solving their problems in th efuture.

Thank you for your interest in this question.
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